Danaher (NYSE:DHR) Given New $255.00 Price Target at Morgan Stanley

Key Points

• Morgan Stanley cut its price target on Danaher to $255 from $270, and the stock still shows significant upside versus the recent close; the consensus rating is a Moderate Buy with an average target of $242.45.
• Danaher reported a Q1 EPS beat ($2.06 vs. $1.94) but missed revenue and saw Diagnostics weakness, prompting the stock to trade down and management to set FY‑2026 guidance of 8.350–8.550 EPS.
• Multiple major brokerages trimmed targets and Danaher priced roughly €3.0B of euro‑denominated notes to fund M&A, fueling investor concern about capital allocation, the Masimo deal, insider selling, and near‑term selling pressure.

Danaher (NYSE:DHR - Get Free Report) had its price objective decreased by research analysts at Morgan Stanley from $270.00 to $255.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday,MarketScreener reports. Morgan Stanley's target price points to a potential upside of 40.73% from the company's previous close.

A number of other brokerages also recently issued reports on DHR. Wolfe Research cut their target price on Danaher from $260.00 to $230.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Barclays dropped their price objective on Danaher from $250.00 to $230.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 14th. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on Danaher from $251.00 to $249.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Guggenheim decreased their target price on shares of Danaher from $275.00 to $235.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, UBS Group cut their price target on shares of Danaher from $270.00 to $250.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Seventeen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $242.45.

Danaher Trading Down 6.9%

NYSE:DHR opened at $181.20 on Wednesday. Danaher has a 12 month low of $180.03 and a 12 month high of $242.80. The company has a current ratio of 1.87, a quick ratio of 1.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $197.17 and a 200-day simple moving average of $214.35. The company has a market capitalization of $128.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.05, a PEG ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.95.

Danaher (NYSE:DHR - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The conglomerate reported $2.06 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.94 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $5.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6 billion. Danaher had a net margin of 14.89% and a return on equity of 10.96%. The business's revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.88 EPS. Danaher has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.350-8.550 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Danaher will post 8.39 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Gregory M. Milosevich sold 1,320 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $208.01, for a total transaction of $274,573.20. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 5,099 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,060,642.99. This trade represents a 20.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 10.80% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Danaher during the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Danaher in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in shares of Danaher during the 2nd quarter worth $26,000. ANTIPODES PARTNERS Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Danaher during the third quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Danaher during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. 79.05% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Danaher News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Danaher this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 EPS beat and slight full‑year EPS raise: Danaher reported $2.06 non‑GAAP EPS (ahead of estimates) and nudged FY‑2026 adjusted EPS guidance to a range that was only modestly higher, supporting the view of durable profitability. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support from Evercore: Evercore raised its price target (to $232) and maintained an outperform stance, providing some buy‑side reinforcement amid the downdraft. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Large euro‑note offering announced: Danaher priced ~€3.0B net of proceeds in four tranches (2028–2038 maturities). The deal boosts liquidity but increases gross debt on the balance sheet while funding corporate needs (including M&A). Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Bioprocessing strength vs. mixed start: Management highlighted bioprocessing momentum and acquisition strategy, which helped headline growth, but the quarter showed mixed signals across segments. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue miss and Diagnostics softness: Revenue rose ~3.7% Y/Y but missed consensus; core revenue growth was modest and Diagnostics saw weakness (lighter respiratory season at Cepheid), which worried investors despite the EPS beat. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple price‑target cuts: Several firms trimmed targets (JPMorgan, UBS, Guggenheim, Wells Fargo, TD Cowen among others), which can prompt headline selling and reduce near‑term upside expectations. Read More. Read More. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Market concern about Masimo deal & capital allocation: Commentators flagged near‑term uncertainty around integration, capital allocation and how incremental spending/financing (including the euro notes) will affect returns, adding to investor caution. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling & repositioning by institutions: Reports of recent insider sales and large institutional rebalancing were cited in market coverage, which may have amplified downward pressure. Read More.

Danaher Company Profile

Danaher Corporation NYSE: DHR is a global science and technology company that designs, manufactures and markets products and services for the life sciences, diagnostics, and environmental and applied markets. The company organizes its operations into business segments focused on Life Sciences, Diagnostics, and Environmental & Applied Solutions, supplying instruments, reagents, software and related services that support research, clinical testing, biopharmaceutical development, and industrial and environmental monitoring.

Products and services in Danaher's portfolio include analytical and diagnostic instruments, laboratory consumables and reagents, digital and software solutions for workflow and data management, field and industrial monitoring equipment, and service and maintenance programs.

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